Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

Notes:
A study suggests Mars’ red color may be due to the iron-containing mineral ferrihydrite. Ferrihydrite is a poorly crystalline nanomineral made of 20% (FeO₄) and 80% (FeO₆) polyhedra. It forms through rapid oxidation and hydrolysis and exists in a disordered structure. It is an initial corrosion product of iron, leading to goethite and hematite formation. Found in soils, weathered rocks, and around iron-rich springs, especially with iron-metabolizing bacteria. It traps water, protects organic molecules, and forms rapidly in cool water. Present in meteorites as a pre-terrestrial weathering product.

Notes:
Yuki Bhambri (India) and Alexei Popyrin (Australia) won the doubles title at the Dubai Tennis Championships 2025. It was their first ATP 500 doubles title. Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) won the singles title. The Dubai Open, an ATP 500 event, had a prize pool of $3,237,670. It was held from 24 February to 1 March 2025 in Dubai, UAE.

Notes:
Countries around Lake Tanganyika launched a five-year project to tackle biodiversity threats. Lake Tanganyika is an ancient lake in East Africa. It borders Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. It is the world’s longest and one of the deepest lakes, stretching over 400 miles. It is located in the Western Rift Valley, steep land rises along its shores. It marks the division between East and West African floral regions, with oil palms on its shores.

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Madhya Pradesh, home to the highest wolf population, is studying their ecology at Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary. Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary spans Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1975. It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. It serves as a corridor for Panna and Satpura Tiger Reserves and connects Bandhavgarh via Rani Durgawati Wildlife Sanctuary. It falls under the Deccan Peninsula biogeographic region and is part of the Ganga and Narmada basins.

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Uttarakhand government launched the Chief Minister Single Women Self-Employment Scheme. The scheme aims to support women’s economic independence. Single, deserted, or widowed women will receive financial assistance up to ₹2 lakh. The initiative helps women start their own businesses and achieve self-reliance.

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The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana offers a monthly pension for unorganized sector workers after 60 years of age. It ensures a minimum ₹3,000 monthly pension for workers earning up to ₹15,000. The scheme is aimed at the unorganized workers contributing around 50% of India’s GDP, including street vendors, domestic workers, and agricultural workers. Over 30.51 crore unorganized workers are registered on the e-Shram portal as of December 2024. It was launched in the Interim Budget 2019. PM-SYM is administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment with with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Common Service Centres e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV) for implementation.

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Beneath Antarctica’s Mount Erebus, volcanic ice caves harbor thriving microbial life, offering insight into potential life on alien worlds. Mount Erebus is the southernmost active volcano, located on Ross Island in Antarctica. It was discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross and named after his ship, Erebus. Its summit stands at 12,448 feet (3,794 meters), making it the second tallest volcano in Antarctica. The volcano has an active lava lake, continuously active since 1972, with small Strombolian eruptions.

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The Wallace Line is an invisible boundary separating Asian and Australian animal species. It was first identified by English naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century. The line runs through the Malay Archipelago, between Bali and Lombok, and between Borneo and Sulawesi. Asian side species (Borneo, Bali) resemble mainland Asian animals like tigers and monkeys. Australian side species (Sulawesi, Lombok) resemble Australian wildlife like kangaroos and cuscuses. Scientists now view it as a transition zone rather than a strict boundary. Climate change and habitat destruction threaten these ecosystems and species adaptation.

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The Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) 2025 will be held in New Delhi from March 20-27. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya announced that several international para athletes will participate. This is the second edition of KIPG; the first was held in December 2023 in Delhi. Around 1,230 para athletes will compete in six sports disciplines. Many participants are medallists from the 2024 Paris Paralympics and 2022 Asian Para Games. KIPG is part of the Khelo India mission to promote para sports and provide a platform for talented athletes.

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Pakistan, Russia, and Congo have been excluded from the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to various issues. Pakistan was suspended for failing to implement a revised football federation constitution for fair elections. Russia faced exclusion due to geopolitical sanctions. Congo was disqualified due to third-party interference in football administration. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, but these nations will not participate. The decision highlights the importance of governance, fair play, and international relations in global sports.